In the Catholic Church, a requiem is a prayer for the deceased. The living pray that their souls should find peace. In the Norwegian series “Requiem for Selina” also sees Selina (Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne) searching for this peace of mind, but not for another person, but for herself. Or a younger version of herself, who has long since died for her.
Selina’s story begins unmistakably in 2005: The younger Selina has her peroxide blonde hair parted on the side, wears light pink lip gloss, thin eyebrows and a waist-deep white miniskirt, despite the heavy snow. Selina finds no connection in her small town, has been bullied and excluded since elementary school.
At home she takes refuge on the Internet. She writes on her blog as “Celina Isabelle” and talks about a completely different life full of parties and hook-ups. A life staged the way she would like it. It’s exciting that her blog is getting attention right when Selina is sharing her real experiences from school and making herself vulnerable. We hardly see her vulnerable side later in the series. From now on there is only Celina Isabelle.
“Requiem for Selina” from February 3rd, 11:05 p.m., ZDFneo and media library
The series deals with the first generation Influencer*innen. Those who are still ahead tiktok, started writing blogs before Instagram or YouTube. Selina’s character is loosely based on Norwegian blogger Sophie Elise Isachsen, who also contributed to the series’ script.
Today, hardly any creators seem to stand out from the masses like Bianca Heinickes, the Dagi Bees or Celina Isabelles. It’s a time without sophisticated algorithms, without AI posts, one in which the commercialization of the scene is just beginning, being forged in conference rooms. A look back shows: How did we actually end up here?
Clicks through provocation
Selina quickly learns that most clicks come through provocation. At 18 she had her breasts done for the first time. Her nose is getting thinner, her lips are getting fuller, she posts revealing videos, gets caught doing coke, and causes one scandal after the next.
She is no longer the admirable girl who stood up against bullying; in fact, she is increasingly accused of being a bad role model. The series asks where the authenticity of influencers has its limits. At what point it is no longer approachable but harmful.
It manages to capture the zeitgeist of the 2000s and 2010s and the fast pace that characterizes the blogging scene. But the main conflict about a protagonist who loses herself in the search for validation and fame is a predictable story that doesn’t tell much new about the scene.
It would have been exciting to continue this fast pace, this ever-threatening insignificance. To ask yourself where your limits are. Whether Selina’s blog would still exist in this form today, if it could still exist at all.
Sophie Elise’s last upload to YouTube was four years ago. Your Instagram account is private today.